One of the big attractions to Estes Park is the Stanley Hotel. This is the famous hotel that the book “The Shinning” was based on.
To me, the hotel reminded me of the Mt. Washington Hotel. When we took the tour of the Stanley we learned that the Stanley’s were from Massachusetts and likely were inspired by some of the architecture from the east coast.
| Date: | 04-25-2021 |
| Location: | Estes Park, CO |
| Total Time: | 1 hour |
| Fees: | $22 |
| Difficultly Rating: | Easy |
I was also surprised to learn that the filming of The Shinning was not done at the Stanley Hotel. It was just the setting for the movie but it was actually filmed elsewhere. However, I was additionally surprised to learn that the film “Dumb and Dumber” was filmed at the Stanley even though it was supposed to be set in Aspen CO. I guess you learn something new every day.
One of the main things that interested me besides the famous films was the fact that the Stanley Hotel is a haunted hotel. Not just haunted by one spirit but haunted by many! In fact, we learned that in the early years of the hotel Mrs. Stanley would often hold Séance’s with some of the other women staying at the hotel.
As you enter the hotel the grand staircase is right in front of you and has portraits of all the owners of the hotel along with a number of mirrors. It was said that the mirrors were often the portals between this world and the afterlife and this is how the ghost would enter. However, if a ghost was to see its reflection then it would realize it was dead and return to the afterlife.
There is one ghost in particular that makes this hotel famous that resides in room 217! This ghost is based around the hotel housekeeper from 1911 named Elizabeth Wilson who almost died in a 1911 gas explosion.
While she did not die and continued to work for the hotel for the rest of her life she is said to be a terror to gentlemen staying in the hotel, especially room 217! To learn more about this ghost, you can vist: https://www.eptrail.com/2014/03/10/stanley-hotel-ghost-story-supported-by-evidence-of-room-217-event/
Throughout the tour we learned about the lives of the Stanley’s and their famed hotel. This hotel has an interesting history and has gone through many ups and downs over the decades. Lots of famous people have stayed here included Houdini, Rockefeller’s, Vanderbilt’s and many more.
If you are in the area and looking for something “indoors” to do I would highly recommend the Stanley Hotel.
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